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Dose assessment in contrast enhanced digital mammography using simple phantoms simulating standard model breasts
R W Bouwman1, R E van Engen, K C Young
1Dutch reference centre for screening, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre (LRCB), Weg door Jonkerbos 90, 6532 SZ Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Standard breast phantoms made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or PMMA/polyethylene (PE) can be used for average glandular dose (AGD) evaluation in contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM). Systematic errors are small for quality control but can be substantial when comparing different phantoms.
Area of Science:
- Medical Physics
- Radiological Imaging
- Dosimetry
Background:
- Standard breast phantoms (PMMA or PMMA/PE) are used for average glandular dose (AGD) assessment in digital mammography (DM) and digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT).
- These phantoms are optimized for lower energy spectra typical of DM and DBT, not the higher energies used in contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM).
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the suitability of standard PMMA and PMMA/PE breast phantoms for AGD assessment in CEDM.
- To determine the accuracy and potential systematic errors when using these phantoms with high-energy X-ray spectra characteristic of CEDM.
Main Methods:
- Calculated incident air kerma for dosimetry phantoms and standard breast models (PMMA, PMMA/PE) at a zero-degree projection with an anti-scatter grid.
- Compared calculated air kerma values to assess differences introduced by phantom composition and energy spectra.
Main Results:
- Differences in incident air kerma ranged from -10% to +4% for PMMA phantoms and 6% to 15% for PMMA/PE phantoms compared to standard models.
- Estimated systematic errors in AGD measurements were deemed sufficiently small for CEDM quality control using these phantoms.
Conclusions:
- Standard PMMA and PMMA/PE breast phantoms are suitable for AGD evaluation in CEDM quality control procedures.
- Caution is advised when comparing AGD values derived from different phantom types due to potential substantial systematic errors.
